COVID cases rising, but situation under control: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said while the coronavirus cases are increasing in the city, the situation is under control.

Kejriwal said there were about 4,000 covid beds with the government, of these only 1,500 were occupied.

"In Private hospitals, 677 beds are available of which 509 are occupied," Kejriwal said.

In the private hospitals, about 2,000 beds are being made COVID dedicated from Monday, he said.

"COVID-19 cases have increased in Delhi due to relaxation in lockdown. But there is nothing to worry about unless the mortality rate or the number of serious cases rises rapidly. If people contract the virus and recover, then there is nothing to worry about," he said.

Assuring that there will be more beds in the coming days, he said the situation is under control. "The cases were expected to increase after the lockdown was relaxed. However, I can say the situation is under control."

He said about 6,500 people are infected with the virus, and an equal number have recovered till date.

Kejriwal also said there are 250 ventilators with the government and only 11 are being used.

Also, he said no hospital can ask patients to arrange for themselves or can ask them to go. "We have issued a show-cause notice to a private hospital that denied treatment to a patient who tested positive for coronavirus. It is the hospital's duty in such a situation to provide an ambulance to the patients and take them to a COVID hospital. Patients cannot be told to make arrangements for themselves," he said.

On May 17, the Chief Minister said, there were 9,755 cases. "Now about 3,500 patients have increased. Also, 2,500 cases have recovered in the same period."

He also said that most of the new cases are having mild or no symptoms. "At least 3,424 patients are being treated at their home as they have no or mild symptoms," he added.

Delhi's covid cases count reached 13,418 on Sunday.